Motivation. . . hhmmmm . . .missing, I think

  I've been struggling a bit to find motivation - as you can see from my lack of blogging.  Then again, maybe not.  I have been in 'high' gear for so many months now that when I have any amount of 'down' time, I am not sure what to get done first.  My list is so very long and I think I can get one thing done, I think of the next thing I could do and the next and the next and the next - then I don't know what is most important because I'd love to get them all done.  So, I veg and play mahjong dimensions online.  OOOoooppps!

This is how I feel!!!!  And the saying is perfect!!!!  (I was crazy once, lock me in a box and call me nuts.  Nuts, nuts, I like nuts - they make me crazy!!!! )  I say this to my  kids and it drives them crazy.  :)  Oh what fun to be a parent and be a little loopy now and then.

Well, then, what did I do this past month?  Alexa graduated on June 3rd.  My 4th to take the walk from high school into quasi-adulthood.  She is transitioning well and began working at a nearby cheese factory for the summer.  Not a super cool job, but it pays well and she has more hours than most pre-college kids are getting.  She has found that it is not near as bad as she imagined and regales us with some funny stories about machines, cheese, and people who have worked there for many, many years.  She, too hit a deer.  She was on her way home from work (the 2nd week).  When she walked in the door to tell what happened and we weren't sure if she was crying so she wouldn't laugh or laughing so she wouldn't cry.  The car will get a new headlight on Monday.  It is an older car and we won't put it through insurance but just pay it out of pocket.  She was fine and all was well enough.


Megan did well on the Young Women Cycling High Adventure the 3rd week in June. They biked 100 miles and canoed about 15 miles.  It is an awesome trip for the girls who can make it.  She has been frequenting the library in town and loves to check out books, CDs and movies. 


Scott was all gung-ho to begin training for cross country when he had an asthma attack.  It has slowed him up a bit and hopefully he will adapt mentally so he can get back in the swing of things.  It is induced by physical activity and was set off the first week of June with high pollen and high humidity.  He has an inhaler and should be running something every day.  On really icky days outside, he can run on the treadmill in the basement - which actually has some great running programs on it.  The mental adjustment will be the big thing to overcome.  
      He just has two merit badges to complete and finish his eagle project write-up and he can submit his application for Eagle Rank.  So close!!!!!



There was the graduation party and all the kids were home.   :)  Oh, it was fun and everyone behaved well.  I told them that if it became a 'PICK ON MOM' event - they could all leave.  I wish it wouldn't have ever ended.

Here is the 4 generations.  Little Korbin, Great-Grandma Mavis, Mom Bry and Grandma Brenda.

Here is the sweet precious boy!  He has just such an expressive face and so easy going.

this is all of us.

Bry, Mark, Korbin, Megan, Fred, Alexa, Brenda, Tim, Gwen and Scott.  

We will be adding Greg to the photo.  He will be between Gwen and Scott.  He is deployed to the Middle East until early Fall.  He is safe and can talk to Gwen a lot via Skype - so it is a visual phone call.  Pretty awesome to have the technology to do that.

Here is the guys putting one of the floating dock sections in the water.  They made 8 of these and several sections for the stationary pier.  Yes, we had that many dogs at our house.  5 dogs, 3 cats, a turtle and a goldfish.  The dogs were upstairs and the cats were downstairs.  Oh, don't forget the 18 people.  :)  It was all fun!


House got quiet after that weekend.  It was hard to see Bry, Mark and Korbin go.  Good thing, though, we can go see them again!  Don't know when, but we can.


June 24th I traveled to Wausau to compete in the Badger State Games again this year in Discus and added Shot Put.  I threw the Discus 8' farther than last year for a best throw of 81' 11".  I was pretty happy and look to better that next year.  I decided to do the Shot Put, too since I had made the trip.  I hadn't even picked up a shot put in 29 years, but had a nice 'put' of 25' 11".  Not bad, and only lost about 3' from the high school days.  :)  Sweet!     Oh, the best part?  Since no one else in the state my age decided to show up, I got first in both!!!!    There hasn't been much time in the past 3 months to keep up with my P90X, so with the conditioning I maintained from that, it really helped me throw.  Also, for Mother's day, I bought myself a metal rimmed discus and nice carry case - it feels great to throw it.  Who needs flowers?

Now it is the week of July 4th and time to re-group, get back in the workouts because apparently my stomach and waist are quite inflatable.  More sit-ups for me!

Have a wonderful week of the 4th!!!!!  Our Freedom isn't free and we won't keep it if we don't fight for it.

Love Ya,
Bren

Pics as Promised

The first one is Meg with Grandpa.  He loves to see his grandchildren's sports and has a special place in his heart for track.  He ran in high school.

Ready for the cutest grandson ever!  Here is Korbin with the monkey his Mom crocheted for him. 

A priceless picture!!!!

This is the beginning of the Eagle Project.  This tractor auger was the best thing ever and those plastic rings sped up the process a lot and reduced the amount of shoveling that needed to be done.  Scott dumped the rings and placed them over the next hole to be dug.

After 5 hours on the first Saturday, all the posts were cemented firmly in place.  A little hard to show the whole area as it was 74' X 72'.  Below is one row of posts and if you look closely ahead of Scott you can see posts for the other sides of the fenced areas.

After another 5 hours on the second Saturday this is what we had - 4 fenced sections for the dogs to use.  Scott did have to figure out a way to fill in some open areas on the bottom of the fence - rocks from our house worked very well and they were free.  Some sections of the fence moved pretty easily back and forth, which wouldn't be a problem for most dogs, but all it takes is one to squirm underneath and then there can be real big problems if dogs don't get along.  So, Scott took the 3 & 4' green garden stakes, wove them through the fence fabric and pounded them into the ground.  No dog getting under that fence now.

Below is the picture that was submitted to several local newspapers.  The dog is 'Dot', a very nice and gentle dog.  You can see the tarps we used for shade.  This particular tarp was way too big and did not work well with the wind we have a lot of here.  So, both were removed and replaced with 4 smaller tarps that can easily be taken down if bad weather threatens and put back up when needed.  They were cheaper, too.

Have a great weekend!

Love Ya,   Bren

AWOL - So Sorry

OK, ever have those times when you think things are under control, but you soon realize you were completely mistaken?  Oh, just been there for, obviously, over a month.  My life really has not been my own.  Then, when I think I can sit down and catch up on my blog, it is no longer compatible with my web browser.  UUUgghhh!!!!  What a frustration.  I have that figured out now and even have some time to update.


Work - been busy, but loving only working 4 days a week.  Some weeks I am there 5 days, but 2 are half days and that rocks, too!  I can also work all 5 days and bank the day off.  Very flexible.    I still need to spend time on the office books at home, but I should be able to find some time for that now, too.


Scouts - The Eagle Project is COMPLETE!!!!  Whoo Hoooo!!!!  It took 125 hours in total for everyone's time.  My time put in was almost as much as Scott's because he isn't old enough to drive and so I could count my time as well to drive him for collecting donations and getting everything set up at the Humane Society.  It really turned out well.  The Humane Society loves the exercise pens for the dogs.  Scott did well on the fundraising part, but in the end he was about $400 short.  It would have been almost even up except the fence company that helped needed to cover their materials cost and gas to bring up their equipment.  They had all the right tools to get it begun and completed in two Saturday mornings.  It was amazing how fast it went.      Both of the scout troops are busy, but Scott has been in track and not able to participate as much in scouts during March, April and May.  We were grateful we found time to get the Eagle project done.  


Track - Megan had a very good season earning her 2nd varsity letter.  She went to the Sectionals meet in the 4 X 2 relay (4 runners complete 2 laps, so each does a 200).  One of the relay team pulled a groin muscle during her individual 200, so the relay team did not do as well as they would have hoped.  She also enjoyed participating in the 4 X 1 Relay, 200m, some long jump and some high jump.
         -Scott had a very good season as well.  He did very well in the Discus with his personal best being 113'4".  He actually did well in what ever event they put him in.  He pulled a hip-flexor early in the season and worked to get it healed so he could run.  He likes running the 800m, hurdles, relays, really just anything.
        - Me: I really enjoyed helping the middle school track team with discus and shot put.  One of the 7th grade girls broke the school record.  Scott tried to do that, but came close.  Anyway, it was going very well until one of the paid coaches (newbie this year) was telling our students to be violent, angry and violence at a meet to motivate them to throw better or harder.  Made me cringe.  Never in all my life have I heard that and couldn't believe anyone would think that was OK.  I told this coach that those words were no longer to be used.  'Really?' was the reply.  No concept of why that would be wrong.  This person didn't like that and asked their 'two bosses' who supposedly told this person that it was 'OK'.  Now really?  If you have to ask someone else if something is right or wrong, just assume right now that it is in fact wrong.  
          In order to teach children who are just beginning to learn a technique, you use a lot of repetition.  One repeats the basics the students are trying to grasp.  In discus that would be: hip first, chest up, jump out the throw, etc....  Yes, we want them to use a lot of effort, but most are so unsure of themselves that they do not have the confidence to just let it rip and give it all they have.  Besides, even in Football the players are taught skills, not violence.  We could ask the N O Saints how that's working out for them.  :)
        I was quite miserable by the end. The kids didn't need two coaches telling them what to do either.  That confuses them.  So, I did what I could and stepped back.  I figured it was best to be there supporting them even if I didn't say much.  A lot of parents can't take the time to go to the meets, so I was proxy and encouraging every chance I got.


    I had looked at possible track meets I could participate in this summer since the Badger State games had been cancelled in the fall for this summer.  Nothing worked out on a weekend I could go.  Then I got an email from the Badger State Games that they are in fact happening and on a weekend I can go!!!!  Yippeee!!  I am all registered and good to go.  I will do both Discus and Shot Put this year.  Should be a lot of fun and for Mother's Day I ordered myself a new metal rimmed discus.  It is so sweet to throw!!!!  Oh happy day!


Graduation-It was a long semester for Alexa, but she made it!  I poked and prodded her to get all her work done.  She got MOST of it done and we survived the Senior Tea, the Scholarship Awards Ceremony, the Senior Banquet, and the Senior Awards Ceremony.  She did get 3 scholarships, nothing huge, but it all helps when at school.  She got the Female School Spirit Award - voted on by her classmates.  Then surprise, surprise she received the Phy Ed Dept award.  Each department gives an award (medallion) to a senior who demonstrates high character and commitment in that department.  Alexa has really loved the Personal Fitness PE class. She apparently got perfect scores all semester.   They do real life fitness activities like walking, yoga, pilates, aerobics, things they can do for the rest of their lives.   
      Now we just have to sit through the graduation ceremony tomorrow.  I have been trying to keep my inner anger in check and remember that we sit through all these things for our child.  Blah, blah, blah is how I really feel sitting there.  I am not comfortable talking with all these people that I really don't know.  Funny story though - We (me, Fred and Alexa) went to the Senior Banquet.  We got there just as it was supposed to start and seating was very tight so we ended up sitting on a long bench-table by people we didn't know.  As we were sitting there, waiting for our turn to get in the food line, Alexa itched the back of her neck, was startled and flung her hand towards the top of the table.  She had found a wood tick crawling on her neck and flung it on the table!  Good thing there weren't plates of food on the table because the tick would have landed right in the middle of one of them!!!!   I took a tissue out of my purse, we got the critter in the tissue and thrown in the garbage.
The family sitting across from us must have thought us strange, because we handled it so matter of factly like it was no big deal.  I think that was better than making a huge scene out of it.  They were very nice and good company.


Now that the past couple of months have passed, I think I can remember my name.  It was way too busy and I will think long and hard if asked to help with track again next year.  The first thing I will do is ask who the coaches are, exactly what they expect of me and then decide.  It really was fun to help the students learn to throw and put.  I do know there won't be another Eagle Project in the middle of it.  Life will be slower, right?   I'll let you know how that works for me.   :)


Have a great start to the summer!  No is an acceptable word to use.  I am still learning that.   I will post some pictures in the next blog.


Love Ya,
Bren